Anyone who has ever gotten into a closed car that has been parked in the hot sun all day can tell you how hot and intolerable the experience is. The heat can be so stifling that it takes your breath away just standing outside of the vehicle. Time is often wasted while waiting for the vehicle to cool off prior to getting in the vehicle. Once inside, even if the driver is lucky enough to have air conditioning it can take several minutes before the car is cool enough to be tolerable.
Besides causing the discomfort of the occupants the car interior and contents of the car can also suffer from the heat. Ultraviolet radiation and heat over time can destroy plastic, fabrics, and the like.
A popular tool for combating heat buildup in vehicles is a cardboard shield which is unfolded and secured behind the rear-view mirror. These cardboard shields suffer from several problems. First, they are unsightly. Second, they only provide protection for the windshield and do not mitigate sunlight through any of the other windows. Finally, these cardboard shields are large and cumbersome and therefore difficult to put up and take down. This results in infrequent use, wasted time prior to exiting and entering vehicles, and improper installation, all of which limit the effectiveness of such devices.
Having recognized the abovementioned problems, the inventor has observed there remains a need for a vehicle sunscreen by which the interior of a motor vehicle can be protected from the effects of sun and heat buildup without the inefficiencies associated with conventional automotive window shields.